Microplate Barcode Labeler User Guide - Agilent Technologies

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Chapter 7: Using the VCode’s bar code reader
VCode User Guide
About the bar code reader
Introduction
This topic describes what the bar code reader is used for, discusses bar
code reader formats, and explains how the bar code reader can be
controlled.
What it is used for
The VCode’s optional bar code reader can read a bar code on any side
of the plate. It can be used to:
❑ Read a bar code on a side of the plate that is not accessible to other
bar code readers in a lab automation system.
For example, the bar code reader on the robot of the BioCel ® can
only read north-side bar codes.
❑ Verify the identities of all plates that are brought into a lab
automation system.
❑ Verify the bar codes printed on plates at the VCode ® .
❑ Read a bar code on one side of a plate and print an identical label
on another side, except with a different bar code symbology.
Diagram
A diagram of the bar code reader attached to a bracket that is mounted
at the side of the printer, is shown below.
00174
Vcode
Reader
Laser light
The laser light is projected as a series of lines, similar to the laser light in
a supermarket checkout (cash register) scanner. It is not projected as a
single point beam.
About supported bar
code symbologies
It is important to understand that the ability of the printer to encode
human readable text into a bar code is independent of the ability of the
bar code reader to decode a bar code into human readable text. Just
because you can print a bar code in a particular bar code format it does
not mean that you can also read that bar code. The bar code reader
must be configured to be able to decode the bar code format that is
used to print the label.
The bar code reader was preconfigured at the factory to support the four
bar code formats that you are most likely to use, according to
discussions with someone in your organization. If you now want to use a
different bar code format, you will have to change the formats that are
stored in the bar code reader.